Health ministry confirms detection of new mutation of Delta variant in Nepal
The Ministry of Health and Population has confirmed the detection of a new mutation of Delta variant (B.1.617.2), the dominant variant of Covid-19 most active in Nepal.
A sample study conducted by Nepal Public Health Laboratory has revealed that the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 pandemic was found in 88 per cent of the samples, whereas the rest were of the Delta variant.
Smriti Chapagain
COVID-19 has been terrorizing the world since its emergence. With repeated waves of the virus disguised in its new form each time, the threat to human life continues to be a global issue. Most recently, the COVID-19 virus has camouflaged itself as Omicron. So, what is Omicron and what do we need to know about it?
Omicron is one of the newly discovered mutated variants of COVID-19. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified Omicron as a “Variant of Concern” on 26th November 2021 and still, a lot about it is yet to be uncovered. The Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) reported the first two cases of the Omicron variant in Nepal on 6th December 2021. It has been rocketing in the past few days, with a high transmission rate as compared to other known forms of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
So, what are its symptoms?
The symptoms of the Omicron variant differ much from the traditional COVID-19 symptoms. The commonly identified symptoms are runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing, sore throat, persistent cough, hoarse voice, chills, fever, and dizziness. Loss of taste and smell is seen less commonly with Omicron. Also, it is less likely to affect the lungs as compared to the upper respiratory tract. The majority of vaccinated and boosted individuals contracting the Omicron have been experiencing milder symptoms.
Current Healthcare Burden in Nepal
Omicron symptoms coincide with flu making it hard to differentiate. Almost every household has recently been reporting flu-like symptoms which can be the red flag for widespread Omicron virus. Taking symptoms recklessly by calling it seasonal flu and not getting tested may be fuelling the recent surge of COVID-19 cases. The toll of healthcare workers being tested positive with CoronaVirus is also escalating, thus increasing the burden on health facilities from the shortage of human resources and posing a risk for the collapse of the health system.
Prevention
WHO has stated that methods of prevention are the same as for other variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These include: maintaining a physical distance of at least 1 meter from other people, wearing a properly fitted mask, maintaining proper hand hygiene by washing hands with soap and water or sanitization with at least 60% alcohol, improving ventilation across the room, coughing/ sneezing in a bent elbow or tissue, avoiding over-crowded areas or poorly ventilated indoor areas and most importantly, getting vaccinated.
Vaccines
COVID-19 vaccines serve as the best measure of protection and are expected to protect against severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths due to Omicron infection. A recent research study has found that, as compared to fully-vaccinated individuals, there’s an increased transmission for unvaccinated and decreased transmission for booster-vaccinated individuals. Thus, the threat for COVID-19 infection remains lower for vaccinated people. However, there always remains a possibility of infection, even after full vaccination as no vaccines are 100% effective at preventing it. And, a fully vaccinated person with a breakthrough infection might still be contagious.
CDC has recommended getting a booster dose after completion of primary COVID-19 vaccination to everyone aged 16 years and above. A booster shot can be taken after 5 months of completing the Pfizer primary series, 6 months after completing the Moderna primary series and 2 months after the initial J&J vaccine.
Take home message
Omicron is likely to spread 2 to 3 times, doubling every 2 to 4 days and is 3.2 times more likely to cause household infection compared to the Delta variant (The New York Times, 2022). Also, Omicron is believed to be proficient in dodging antibodies produced by previous vaccinations and infections. Various researches have found that previously infected individuals and/or vaccinated comprised a large portion of Omicron cases. This necessitates the call for strict precautionary measures by both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, which if not taken timely may lead to the collapse of the health system.
In recent times, the novel coronavirus has spread like wildfire in Nepal, especially in the Kathmandu Valley. As the infection rate, which was at 4.4 per cent last Thursday jumped to 23 per cent in a week's span, the epidemiologists have suspected that along with Delta variant, the Omicron strain of coronavirus must have been spreading in Nepal at lightning speed.
Similarly, the World Health Organisation (WHO), in its weekly epidemiological report on Tuesday, informed that the COVID-19 cases increased by 55 per cent (15 million) in one week from January 2 to 9. This is the highest number of cases reported worldwide in a single week until now.
Another 'Omicron' variant of coronavirus has been confirmed in Nepal. According to the Ministry of Health and Population, Omicron was confirmed in one person and Delta variant in 22 people during regular gene sequencing.
Another 'Omicron' variant of coronavirus has been confirmed in Nepal. According to the Ministry of Health and Population, Omicron was confirmed in one person and Delta variant in 22 people during regular gene sequencing.
The battle against the coronavirus is still ongoing across the globe. Even advanced nations have found it difficult to defeat the pandemic as it has still been claiming lives. Curbing the deadly contagion is an uphill task due mainly to a mutation in the virus. Various variants of the virus have stalked human beings, claiming more lives. Earlier, the Delta variant proved a major headache for the world as the highly infectious strain made the task of defeating COVID-19 all the more difficult. Meanwhile, the first case of Omicron infection was detected in Nepal on Monday. The Ministry of Health and Population confirmed that two persons who had returned from South Africa were found to have been inf
Nepal has reported new mutant of COVID-19 Delta variant. The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) on Tuesday said that a new Kappa variant has been detected in Nepal. Earlier, the country has reported cases of Alfa and Delta variants.
KATHMANDU, June 21: The Delta variant’s mutation of the coronavirus has been detected in Nepal.
According to the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), the mutated forms of the Delta variant were confirmed in nine samples while conducting gene sequencing in New Delhi, India.
Ministry’s Deputy Spokesperson, Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari shared that among the 47 Delta variants confirmed during the gene sequencing, nine new K417 N mutations were detected and named AY.1 .
Cases of AY.1 have been detected in 10 countries including Nepal, according to the ministry. PCR samples collected from various countries and from various age groups were collected until mid-June and sent to India for gene sequencing.
So far, Alfa (B.1.1.7), Delta (B.1.617.2), Kappa (B.1.617.1) have been detected in Nepal, said Ministry Spokesperson, Dr Krishna Poudel, adding that the Delta variant is highly contagious and dangerous.
Earlier, Delta variant’s new mutations were found and confirmed in Nepal which was not a separate and new variant but mutations, he said.
The Mmnistry has urged one and all to comply with the health safety protocols to prevent infection from the new mutated form of the Delta variant novel coronavirus.
